


Sexual Amnesia

by JosieBlossom



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Future Fic, Implied Sexual Content, McMantle, Shorter than I wanted it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-27 06:48:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13875438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JosieBlossom/pseuds/JosieBlossom
Summary: A storm presents Reggie with the perfect opportunity to proposition Josie.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Dipping my toe into the water with this pair because I love 'em. Comments and/or kudos are greatly beloved.

Winter in New York was bad enough. Now, thanks to a massive storm, Josie was freezing more than usual. Thousands of people in the city were in the dark, including herself. When her teeth started chattering, she decided she couldn’t take it any more. Josie got out of bed, put on an oversized turtle-neck and crept down the hall. She needed extra body heat and she knew just where to get some. She gently knocked on the door, partially opening it, “Reggie, are you awake?”

 

“Yep.”

 

She tiptoed over to the bed. Even the floorboards were cold.

 

"Something I can help you with?" She could hear the smile in his voice, even in the dark. He'd been waiting for her. They'd played this game, before.

 

"You know."

 

"Yeah, but I want to hear you say it." He was so smug.

 

She sighed, "Reginald, _please_ can I get into bed with you?"

 

He paused for a few seconds, before lifting the covers. "Climb aboard, Josephine."

 

She narrowed her eyes at his word choice but slid in next to him. He smelled _good_. She didn’t know whether it was his deodorant, or cologne. Whatever it was, it definitely worked for her. Josie shivered against him. He was only wearing a cotton tee but was super warm. She wrapped her arms around him to get more coverage, burying her face into his neck. He placed a muscular arm around her shoulders. They just lay like that, in perfect silence.

 

* * *

 

Reggie calmed himself and counted down the minutes. He knew she’d turn up, eventually. For the past three months—since Valerie and Archie moved out—Josie had been creeping into his room. At the rate of twice a week (usually more). She got into his bed and he would be a total gentleman about it. However, for some inexplicable reason, Josie always ended up lying on top of him. She'd brush her lips against his, unable to keep her hands to herself and...the rest was history. They’d wake up the next day and she’d pretend it never even happened. Lather, rinse and repeat. He didn’t know what was going on with her, but he wasn’t satisfied with their status quo. He wanted _more_. So Reggie had a little surprise for her, tonight.

 

Ten minutes into it, she threw a leg over his torso. Reggie immediately rolled them both over, her petite body underneath him.

 

“Nope. Not tonight, Josephine.”

 

She giggled. “Fine. Have fun with your hand, tonight, Mantle.”

 

“Listen, I can make you hotter than Florida in July, if you want me to. But I need something in return.”

 

“Playing hard to get, that’s new,” huffed Josie. “What exactly do you want?”

 

He almost crumbled as she moved her hand down his abs, into his waistband. _Shit_. This was turning into foreplay. “I don’t mean _that_ , Josie.” He took her hand in his and interlocked their fingers. She was making concentration (among a few other things) hard. “I want you to stay the night, with me, in my bed. Tomorrow, you don’t wake up with sexual amnesia.” More than anything, Reggie just wanted them to _talk_ about...whatever this was. They had serious potential. Reggie raised himself higher on his elbows, in case she wanted to leave.

 

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him back down. “...Why?”

 

He wasn’t going to show his hand and confess to being love with her. Not yet, anyway. “I _like_ you, okay.”

 

Even in the dark, he could see her thinking about it. “I find your terms _acceptable_. Promise to make it worth my while?”

 

He smiled, leaning down and nuzzling her cheek. “Orgasm guaranteed, as always. I'm a man of my word.”

 

“Deal."

 

He groaned as she ran her hands over his back muscles.

 

"I like you, too, Reggie."

 

That was easier than he thought it would be. If he had known, he would've done it a lot sooner. She kissed him, fingers tangled in his hair. Reggie rolled them over, before she could get too comfortable, placing Josie back on top. Just how she liked it.

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josie comes to a conclusion.

Josie removed herself from Reggie’s grasp. Both his arms were firmly wrapped around her. He briefly stirred but didn’t wake. She went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and check out her hair. Josie had fulfilled her end of the deal. She spent the night and wouldn’t deny what had occurred. It’s not like Josie hadn’t thought about it. As much as he got on her nerves, she liked Reggie. It was easier to keep him at arms length, so he couldn’t see how much she liked him. Sleeping together was always enjoyable. Outside of work, they spent the majority of their time together. They even worked out, together. Taking the next step was logical but it also made their situation tangible. Love was so fragile once fully formed. Josie wasn't sure that she wanted the responsibility. There was only one thing left to do, now. She called Valerie.

 

“Val?”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Nothing. Why would you ask that?”

 

“In all the years I’ve known you, Jo, you’ve never called me before six. So what’s up?”

 

“Reggie and I have been...sleeping together.” Josie was greeted by silence. “Did you just hear what I said?”

 

“Was that supposed to be a secret?”

 

“Wait, you knew?”

 

“Yeah. So did Archie.”

 

She wasn't sure how to react to that. “Oh...”

 

“Wait, I’ll put you on speaker.”

 

“What?! No, no-”

 

“Hey, Jose!”

 

“Hi, Archie. You okay?” she asked, awkwardly.

 

“Yeah.”

 

This was a low point for Josie. She covered her face out of sheer embarrassment.

 

Valerie spoke, again. “Archie, something’s finally happening!”

 

“Awesome. It’s about time.”

 

Josie decided to put her humiliation to one side. “ _Anyway,_ he seems to want something I’m not sure that I can give him.”

 

“You’re overthinking this, Jo.”

 

 _Why weren’t they understanding her position?_ “Really? You don’t remember how things ended with Chuck?” Josie wasn’t sure she could do that, again. It had taken a lot out of her.

 

“Josie, Reggie isn’t Chuck. He’s an awesome guy. Take it from someone who’s known him a long time: Reggie’s crazy about you. It sounds like he’s actually making an effort. He doesn’t do that with just anyone.”

 

She pinched the bridge of her nose. This was all too much for her to digest, right now. “Guys, I don’t think I know what I’m doing.” She suddenly felt the sudden urge to _run_.

 

"You like him, right?" asked Val.

 

"Of course," she replied.

 

"Do you love him?" asked Archie.

 

They were calling her out and she didn't have an answer. In the end, her silence betrayed her. _Yes._

 

“Josephine McCoy, don’t you dare run away from this! We watched you two fall in love and we were so relieved that we wouldn’t have to worry about you when we left.”

 

“I can’t-” Josie was interrupted by a child, crying. Well, not just any child. Her namesake and god daughter, Josephine Melody Andrews.

 

“I’ll get her, Val,” said Archie.

 

“See? Even JoJo knows bullshit when she hears it. She can’t even speak, yet.”

 

Josie laughed and held the phone close to her ear. “Is she okay?”

 

“She’s very healthy and loves being sung to sleep.”

 

“What’s her favorite?”

 

“Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”

 

This information made Josie feel warm. She wanted the love that Valerie and Archie had but she was overwhelmingly... _hesitant._ Once bitten, twice shy.

 

"I know you're scared. All you have to do is take that first step."

 

Her friend was right. She couldn’t hide in the bathroom, forever. It was time to face her demons. “Thanks, for everything, Val. Love you. Give JoJo a kiss for me.”

 

“Love you, too. I will. Call me, later?” Valerie knew what she was about to do.

 

“Definitely.”

 

Josie took in a few, deep breaths. This was all part of her growth. One bad breakup didn’t necessarily determine another. She stood, pulling her turtle neck down, as far as it would go. Then she made some coffee—only because it was too early to drink—before going back to Reggie’s room.

 

 _What a difference a day makes_ , she thought. (Which also happened to be the title of one of her favorite songs.) She stopped at the door, watching him. Josie now saw Reggie in an entirely different light. She felt a little silly for missing all the signs of love, even when the words had never been spoken. Like, the time he went out in the pouring rain to buy her a particular soup, when she felt unwell. The time he drove over an hour to save her from a disastrous blind date (while he was also on a date with someone else). The times he hand picked all the purple and red skittles out of the pack for her. There were so many other times and examples. Reggie was no pushover but he always gave her whatever she wanted. Nobody else, only her. All the ways he tried to tell her without saying it. She refused to look for a deeper meaning because she wasn't ready. Now, it was a different story. Josie dropped onto the bed and placed his arm around her. She faced him, this time. She kissed his shoulder and his neck. Then she put her lips to his ear. “Wake up, Reginald. Somebody’s realized she loves you.”


End file.
